SAVE YOUR EARS The importance of hearing safety

Do you take proper pre-cautions to save your ears? Most of us don’t. It’s understandable, we feel young and invincible thinking that a few hours of music at a festival won’t affect our hearing. Justifications are often made such as, “You can’t feel the music with earplugs on.” or “My hearing will be fine as long as I dance far away from the speakers.” Hate to break it to my fellow peers, but continuous exposure to loud music can be detrimental to our eardrums. It is common sense to wear something to protect our ears from tone-deafening noise, right? Unfortunately, earplugs are the last thing that crosses our minds when getting ready for a night of electrifying music. It’s not just at festivals, think about how much dance music you listen to on a daily basis and how loud – whether you’re listening to it at home, in the car, or on your headphones. By just taking a few seconds to put on earplugs before you enter the next festival, club or rave will save your ears from developing a permanent condition known as Tinnitus.

Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom to hearing loss, often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” that doesn’t go away. Others may hear buzzing, hissing, or rushing sounds that vary in volume. There are other causes of Tinnitus but persistent exposure to loud music is the most common. Sound volume is measured in decibels (dB) and according the American Tinnitus Association (www.ata.org), experts recommend that earplugs should be worn when sound is 85dB and above. Attending a rock concert is 120dB. DJs and producers are the most affected by Tinnitus since music is their career. Every day, they’re listening to music whether it’s for work or for personal enjoyment. In recent years, DJs are starting to share their story dealing with this condition, sending the message to not overlook this issue. A few notable DJs who deal with Tinnitus are Jody Wisternoff, Moby and Dubfire. Some may be lucky who take the risk to not wear earplugs and have ringing in their ears but feel fine after a few hours. Although, the ringing is temporary, damage to the ears has been done during that temporary period. Look back to how many festivals you have attended and how many times you have experienced any ringing in your ears. Every time music is listened to at a high frequency such as 120dB, it will add up. Once someone reached the point of permanent hearing loss; the cells in the ear, known as cilia have been destroyed and cannot be restored.

EDM is our stress reliever, our remedy, an escape from reality. Let’s lengthen the years of our musical enjoyment by becoming more mindful of our ear health. The American Tinnitus Association has recommended a few hearing conservation tips to protect you from excessive loud sounds: 1. Turn down your MP3 player and car stereo system. 2. Walk away from loud noises. 3. Limit the time you expose your ears to loud noises 4. Limit the intensity of the noise by not standing directly at the source and 5. Wear earplugs to concerts. Disposable earplugs are a great alternative for one time use. If dance music and attending festivals are a recurring part of your life, it’s highly suggested to invest in custom earplugs. EarPeace (www.earpeace.com) created High Fidelity Earplugs, a quality product that provides the best hearing protection at an affordable price. In white, tan or brown, these reusable earplugs will cost you only $12.95 plus, it comes with a sweet carrying case to store them when not in use. These plugs were created to enhance your musical experience by turning down the volume without sound interference. EarPeace earplugs have been praised for “saving” peoples ears at festivals such as Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival. Interested in more options? Check out the EarPlug Superstore (www.earplussuperstore.com), to pick and choose the ear protection that’s best for you. Now it’s the time to take action to save our ears! Remember to conserve your hearing and make sure to have a pair of Earplugs handy at your next music event. Stay ear healthy, my friends.